Runway Challenge Week 11

The Runway Challenge continues during the UConn bye week. But first, let me update my bowl projections because little went according to plan last weekend.

UCONN (6-3, 2-2)

11/15: at Syracuse (W)

11/23: at South Florida (L)

12/6: Pittsburgh (W)

Predicted record: 8-4 (4-3)

CINCINNATI (6-2, 2-1)

11/8: at West Virginia (L)

11/14: at Louisville (L)

11/22: Pittsburgh (W)

11/29: Syracuse (W)

12/6: at Hawaii (W)

Predicted record: 9-4 (4-3)

PITTSBURGH (6-2, 2-1)

11/8: Louisville (W)

11/22: at Cincinnati (L)

11/28: West Virginia (L)

12/6: at UConn (L)

Predicted record: 7-5 (3-4)

SYRACUSE (2-6, 1-3)

11/8: at Rutgers (L)

11/15: UConn (L)

11/22: at Notre Dame (L)

11/29: at Cincinnati (L)

Predicted record: 2-10 (1-6)

WEST VIRGINIA (6-2, 3-0)

11/8: Cincinnati (W)

11/22: at Louisville (W)

11/28: at Pittsburgh (W)

12/6: South Florida (W)

Predicted record: 10-2 (7-0)

SOUTH FLORIDA (6-3, 1-3)

11/15: Rutgers (W)

11/23: UConn (W)

12/6: at West Virginia (L)

Predicted record: 8-4 (3-4)

LOUISVILLE (5-3, 1-2)

11/8: at Pittsburgh (L)

11/14: Cincinnati (W)

11/22: West Virginia (L)

12/4: at Rutgers (W)

Predicted record: 7-5 (3-4)

RUTGERS (3-5, 2-2)

11/8: Syracuse (W)

11/15: at South Florida (L)

11/22: Army (W)

12/4: Louisville (L)

Predicted record: 5-7 (3-4)

Which would make the Big East standings:

1. West Virginia 10-2 (7-0)

2. UConn 8-4 (4-3)

Cincinnati 9-4 (4-3)

4. Louisville 7-5 (3-4)

USF 8-4 (3-4)

Pitt 7-5 (3-4)

Rutgers 5-7 (3-4)

8. Syracuse 2-10 (1-6)

And the Big East bowl shake-out (this is also the order the bowls choose):

Orange Bowl: West Virginia vs. Georgia Tech

Gator Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Florida State

Meineke Car Care Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Wake Forest

International Bowl: UConn vs. Western Michigan

PapaJohns.com Bowl: Louisville vs. Troy

St. Petersburg Bowl: South Florida vs. Marshall

Independence Bowl: Pitt vs. Arkansas State

A few random notes and observations from the past week.

My frustration has reached its point of no return with politicians, which is why I can't even bring myself to discuss politics anymore (especially on the blog). But I can't read another story about how Connecticut's U.S. Rep. Chris Shays (R) -- defeated while seeking his 11th-term -- was the victim of the sweeping change led by Barack Obama. No. Shays lost because he made a complete fool of himself in front of millions during the Roger Clemens-Brian McNamee Congressional hearing back in February. Shays embarrassed himself and the state with his vicious attack on McNamee and unabashed boot-licking of Clemens. Not that I condone what McNamee did, but Shays' rambling, head-scratching tirade was totally over the top. That, more than anything, forced him out. Good riddance.

Every once in a while, I stumble upon the A&E Network's re-runs of The Sopranos. The shows are edited for content. Allegedly. The language is edited...even the word "ass" is dubbed over. But, A&E has no problem showing things like Tony Soprano blowing his cousin away with a shotgun, or Christopher Moltisanti shooting up heroin in his car. Odd.

Speaking of the Soprano's, I was overruled in my idea for my son's Halloween costume. My plan was to dress him in a valour sweatsuit, with a pair of white shoes and his hair slicked back with white wings. The perfect Paulie Walnuts ensemble! But the wife wouldn't go for it. "We're not dressing our 1-year old up as a mobster!!" she said. So, he was Superman. Maybe next year.

Next Halloween, Mr. Gaultieri. I promise. And say hello to your mother for me.

On to the picks:

Game 1: Syracuse (+14) over RUTGERS

Game 2: Georgia Tech (+4) over NORTH CAROLINA

Game 3: TEXAS TECH (-3.5) over Oklahoma State

Game 4: BOSTON COLLEGE (-3.5) over Notre Dame

Game 5: Alabama (-3) over LSU

Game 6: WEST VIRGINIA (-7) over Cincinnati

Game 7: Louisville (+6) over PITTSBURGH

Game 8: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA (-21) over California

Game 9: NORTHWESTERN (+10.5) over Ohio State

Game 10: Virginia (+3.5) over WAKE FOREST

Game 11: Southern Connecticut State (+3) over AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL: Always nice to schedule the same opponent twice in the regular season. AIC won back in September. Southern clinches fourth straight Division II playoff berth with a win.

First, a few things....first and foremost, agreed on Shays. All throughout election night coverage, all I could think of was his PATHETIC display carrying Roger's water. An utter disgrace. Secondly, you really needed to man up on the wife. That costume would've ruled. Lastly, wtf with Notre Dame?!?!?!? They're 5-3 with a good probably of going 7-5. No 7-5 team should play in a New Year's Day Bowl. Case closed. The Irish may be the easiest team to hate this side of Duke basketball. All about money with them. Shame on Hathaway for caving to them on the "home" games. Rutgers told them to go pound sand, and so should we have. A 7-5 team in the Gator Bowl. What a joke. Enough of my soap-box. Onto the picks....

Cuse +14 - I just can't lay 14 points with Rutgers. Even after the blowout at Pitt.

Texas Tech - Do you have the line wrong on this one? How can Tech be getting 3.5 at home as the #2 team in the land? Getting 3 or laying 3, I like the Raiders in this one. Big.

BC -3.5 - Given my druthers, I'd rather not pick either of them. Not enough bad things can happen in this game for me. Pray for heavy rain. And again, wtf....ND can play at that dump of a stadium up there in Chestnut Hill, but they can't come to The Rent?????

LSU +3 - This one makes me nervous. LSU got pounded by Florida and Georgia. Will they continue to lie down? Not with Saban coming back to town.

WVU -7 - Mountaineers are starting to look like the team they were projected to be. Still, of all the Big East teams, by far the most obnoxious fans to deal with at The Rent.

Louisville +6 - Too many points. Cards will be hungry after getting embarassed at Cuse.

USC - -21 - Gun to my head, they are the best team in the land.

Northwestern +10.5 - Boring Big Ten slugfest.

Wake -3.5 - One of the most remarkable turn arounds of the year. Cavs looked like the worst team in the country after the Huskies pounded them. Hats off to Al Groh.

Chip, this is just thinking outloud, or typing as the case may be, but maybe you could give double points one week if you pick underdogs to win outright.

It may not work, because then everyone would just pick the dogs and try to get the points. But for instance, last week I would have been willing to take Syracuse without the points if there were a bonus incentive. Maybe you lose two and win two, risk reward type deal.

Then again, that'd be a major pain for you to keep up with.

Also, there's no way any costume could beat this one (thats from deadspin btw)

A lot of overrated coaches who couldn't hack it in the NFL in the picks this week. Charlie Wuss, Nick Satan, Dave Wannabe, Pete "Can't win the small one" Carroll, and Al "Thank god for Rich Kotite" Groh. I hate picking for ANY of these chumps.

No UConn commentary this week, except that I think everyone's being a little optomistic about a possible win over Pitt. Either way, I guess this bunch of ridiculously glorified Huskies is bound for a bowl, where quite possibly a mid-range MAC team will whip their a**.

My two cents on a "super week" with double the points: a bit unfair for us faithful blog readers and an obvious attempt by the delusional UConn fans to keep me from the top of the standings. That being said, BRING IT ON.

jddupuis posted this under a different entry on the blog. I believe he meant to leave it here, since it's in regard to my bowl projections. It's an interesting question, but I believe the answer is simple. My answer follows. Thanks for the question, jddupuis.

Even with the prospect of a big gate, why would the Gator Bowl take a horrible 6-6 Notre Dame team over a 9-4 Cincinnati or 8-4 UConn team? ND's best win would be over a 5-7 Stanford team!

November 07, 2008 3:32 PM

Chip Malafronte said... JD,

The one and only thing that matters is money. Period. Why do you think they've shunned an 8-team tournament to crown the national champions? Money, money and more money. If there's money to be made, the hell with everything else, including a logical format to determine a national champ and the better matchup for the Gator Bowl. Mark my words: if Notre Dame gets the sixth win, they will go to the Gator.

Well said Chip. Exactly right. All about the money. So much for the pure competitive spirit of college athletics. I alluded to this in my rantings this week. It's an absolute disgrace. Under no circumstances will I ever attend one of these upcoming "home" games against the Irish.

One other thing....when is Vinny going to realize that nobody cares or is insulted by his non-sensical ramblings? And if he did win control of the blog for a day, nobody would read it. Except for Chip, who would be forced to edit the content and correct the East Havener's grammatical shortcomings.

Vinny does have a point. I'm thrilled there's been such strong participation in the challenge this year (in 2006, the first year I did this, I think we had four regulars who picked every week). But those who haven't missed a week shouldn't be penalized.

I may just bump the number of games from 11 to 14 or 15 for the final few weeks, but bonuses and double points probably isn't fair.

I don't believe that rule is in place anymore. My understanding is that clause was dropped in the last round of negotiations because it made it a tougher for the Gator and Sun to actually get ND (who used to be a good bet for a BCS bowl).

But I will try and get the official word from the Big East in the next couple of days.

No clue on the Pitt start time. I just can't figure these TV guys out. The West Virginia game is at noon, but Syracuse is at 7? Huh? Would have thought it'd be the other way around. So, who knows for Pitt. My guess is it will be 7, but I haven't checked to see what other big games are that day.